The New Elite Show Their Stuff

A new style takes hold in tech
circles

By

Matthew Rose

Updated June 21, 1999 12:01 a.m. ET

When Bill Gates spent $53.4 million (49.9 million euros) of his Microsoft fortune to build a fully automated home, Europeans could chalk it up to Silicon Valley-style extravagance. No longer. Conspicuous consumption seems to be catching on with the Continent's tech set.

Take Dietmar Mueller-Elmau. The co-founder of Fidelio Software GmbH, a successful, since-sold German software company, spent 20 million marks (10.2 million euros) on a...